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Story Hour
(4e) Saga of Valor
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<blockquote data-quote="Netherstorm" data-source="post: 5751481" data-attributes="member: 84943"><p><strong>7. Vecna's Secret</strong></p><p></p><p><em>12/12/11: Tom was in the city. We ended early tonight as I needed to prepare for the Expedition to Cat Island. This summary is as close to a verbatim session summary as I ever hope to get!</em></p><p> </p><p><em>And just to be clear, Vecna was defeated in a previous campaign. He was discorporated. Usually when a god is discorporated, they reform after a few months. But the primordial known as The King of Terror was able to seize Vecna's "spot" as a deity. The primordial then killed as many of his followers as he could, and used his power to make people forget Vecna ever existed.</em></p><p> </p><p><em>In a blog on this site, I described my "power points" system. The gods have power points, which allow them to do godly things beyond what level 30 characters do. As an example, it costs 5,000 power points to create a heroic tier being and 100,000 power points to create an epic tier being.</em></p><p> </p><p><em>The discorporated cloud of Vecna, who resides in Hartaniel's lantern, has 1,000 measly power points. Should he find followers, he will gain more...</em></p><p> </p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'"><span style="font-size: 12px">Saga of Valor </span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'"><span style="font-size: 12px">Book One - NyrodSpace War 3</span></span></p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p style="text-align: center"><em>Chapter Seven: Vecna's Secret</em></p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Ardra</strong> - Eladrin Bladesinger <em>Vovoidja</em></p><p><strong>The Blue Monk</strong> - Half-Orc Monk <em>Almoner</em></p><p><strong>Hartaniel</strong> - Elf Barbarian<em> Groom of the Stool</em></p><p><strong>Lucky</strong> - Human Warlord <em>Constable</em></p><p><strong>Scarlet</strong> - Human Fighter<em> Constable</em></p><p><strong>Varis</strong> - Half-Elf Warlock <em>Hostarius</em></p><p> </p><p>The adventurers had somewhat influenced the King to kill two influential people with his cursed sword, Blackrazor. The following day, the King was in a great mood and was getting ready to cast a ritual that would send the heroes back on the trail of canisters containing a disease called Blood Veil. The canisters were to be delivered to the underdark city of Rilauven, where Varis was from. </p><p> </p><p>In a ritual book in the Cult of Urgathoa's lair, the adventurers had found a rune configuration for a teleport circle in a place very close to Rilauven, called Echo Warrens. The King planned on casting a ritual to send the heroes there right after breakfast.</p><p> </p><p>The King awoke, and Hartaniel entered his chamber to help the King don his ancient, magical spiked armor. King Thennrynnia was in a fine mood, as Blackrazor had been fed and would not tear at the King's soul for at least a few days.</p><p> </p><p>Hartaniel said, "Sire, I am glad that Blackrazor was fed last night. It was a great party you threw."</p><p> </p><p>The King chuckled and said, "Thank you, Hartaniel. I feel very good today! I'm sure Lady Tarentia will be angry with me for slaying her unicorn-man friend - but I'm sure she'll recover."</p><p> </p><p>"I agree, sire. And you know what? She's not the King!"</p><p> </p><p>"'Tis true. She is not the King."</p><p> </p><p>Zanestra Shadowborn, leader of the Shadowborn Clan, led Varis away from the castle to meet with her at the Shadowborn's 'home base', a gothic clock tower in the city of Olwynn. Inside was Skelogha, the tiefling who'd heloped young Varis harness his eldritch power. Zanestra's not-evil-enough imp PaunchCrammer was there as well. </p><p> </p><p>So too, were a pair of familiar faces. They were Belgos and Silussa, the vampire and succubus who had abandoned the drow invasion and then failed to seduce the King. They were sitting at a table feeding each other cooked eggs. They kept saying things to each other like, "Here darling, have another one!".</p><p> </p><p>Skelogha pulled Varis aside and said, "I heard what you did last night, kid! That's some good stuff!". He was of course referring to Varis convincing the King to kill the injured soldier Phideas Silverfist for insulting Varis' ally, the Blue Monk.</p><p> </p><p>Zanestra nodded and whispered, "There are certain advantages to your youth and apparent innocence! The King is more apt to trust you. Now then...", she gestured toward Belgos and Silussa. "I think that they know more about the drow invasion than they are telling anybody. I tried my best last night to... interrogate Belgos... but I didn't get much information..". She blushed. "Silussa might be more pliable. Do you know of any way we could get information out of her?"</p><p> </p><p>Varis thought for a moment. Then he said, "They seem to love each other very much. We could use that to our advantage."</p><p> </p><p>Skelogha came over and stood next to Zanestra. He nodded and said quietly, "How so?"</p><p> </p><p>"As I saw last night, when one of them is threatened, the other jumps in front to take the blow..."</p><p> </p><p>"Whaddaya sayin'? We imprison one of 'em?".</p><p> </p><p>Varis said, darkly, "Torture. Imprison. Threaten. Kill."</p><p> </p><p>Skelogha cackled and said, "I like the cut of your jib, kid!"</p><p> </p><p>PaunchCrammer sucked on an orange peel and whispered, "Maybe we should just go on a walk with one of them and just chat for a while?". </p><p> </p><p>Zanestra scowled and shook her head, angry. "Want some orange juice? I freshly squeezed it myself!". Zanestra threw up her hands, furious at her not-even-close-to-evil-enough imp. </p><p> </p><p>Varis rejoined his friends in the castle just in time for breakfast.</p><p> </p><p>The adventurers and King Thennrynnia sat around a grand table, eating a massive breakfast. </p><p> </p><p>The Blue Monk asked, "How did you sleep, your highness?"</p><p> </p><p>"I slept well, friend! I still am unsure of what to do with our drow prisoner, Derrinnil."</p><p> </p><p>Ardra asked, "Has she over come her poppy juice addiction?"</p><p> </p><p>"She is still in the throes."</p><p> </p><p>"Perhaps you should allow her to make it through the woods," the Blue Monk suggested.</p><p> </p><p>The King nodded. He mentioned that Lady Tarentia had been kicked out of the fey city of Senaliesse. Her luggage was being brought through a portal in the dungeon level of the castle. The heroes suggested that they should leave her alone.</p><p> </p><p>After breakfast, the heroes headed into town to buy healing potions, a halfling-sized cloak, and extra crossbow bolts.</p><p> </p><p>They re-grouped in the ritual room of the castle. The King chanted, and in a flash, the adventurers appeared in a massive underdark cavern. Nearby were stalagmites so big that humanoids had carved them out and made homes out of them. The Sea of Black Blood was not far, and quite closer to them was a central well. </p><p> </p><p>The cavern was full of a maddening, constant echoing noise. In addition, Hartaniel's floating lantern that contained the gaseous remains of the long-discorporated deity known as Vecna suddenly surged. Vecna's cloud became more solid, and much more vibrant.</p><p> </p><p>But the most immediate detail that the heroes were concerned with was the band of surly goblins and hobgoblins that had stopped in their tracks and trained their crossbows on the newly-arrived adventurers. One of the goblins said to another in a drawl, "Hey, Slippery Torg! We got ourselves some pink skins!"</p><p> </p><p>"Dang, Cud! Whaddaya think we should do? Should we shoot 'em?"</p><p> </p><p>"Let's see if they got any gems on 'em first!"</p><p> </p><p>The one called Cud waved his crossbow at the bewildered adventurers and said, "Don't make any funny moves. You're in the presence of the Cave Whippin' Boyz!". </p><p> </p><p>The goblins and Hobgoblins yelled out "Yeeee Haa!" and fired crossbow bolts in the air.</p><p> </p><p>Cud then looked at the heroes and asked, "So how about it? Got any banded agates? Onyx?"</p><p> </p><p>Slippery Torg shook his head and said, "'Hain't no way they got any onyx, Cud!"</p><p> </p><p>Ardra was slightly bemused. "We're freshly out, I'm afraid."</p><p> </p><p>The Blue Monk scowled at Cud and said, "Guard your tongue, wee one."</p><p> </p><p>A hefty goblin called Boss Corker stepped forward and said, "Now, Now! We Cave Whippin' Boyz, we just want us some gems! You come to Echo Warrens, you gotta pay the toll! This teleport circle hain't free, ya know!"</p><p> </p><p>Hartaniel suddenly sprung forth and grabbed Slippery Torg. He put a blade to his throat. The goblins shouted in alarm. </p><p> </p><p>Cud told all his boyz to aim their crossbow bolts at The Blue Monk. "Two kin' play at that game! All we want is a banded agate - equivalent value, ten gold." </p><p> </p><p>Then he squinted and got a good look at the floating lantern. Inside it, the cloud of Vecna's remains shone through. "Actually.. we'll take that lantern!"</p><p> </p><p>Lucky tossed him a pouch with ten gold in it. "We're probably going to die soon anyway," she noted.</p><p> </p><p>Hartaniel tried to take Torg's money pouch as he shoved Torg away, but the Boyz' mother, Ma Gouty, spotted him. Hartaniel quietly chucked them the pouch.</p><p> </p><p>The Blue Monk said, "I'll give you boys another five gold if you can tell me about this place."</p><p> </p><p>Boss Corker stepped up. "I'll take that five gold, if'n you please! Ya'll might want to invest in some gems. Gold coins are kinda... eggghh... but we'll take it. Now, the noise here in Echo Warrens, some folk'll tell ya that it makes ya go crazy. But we're just fine, ain't we, Cave Whippin' Boyz?"</p><p> </p><p>The boyz again shouted "Yee ha!" and shot crossbow bolts in the air.</p><p> </p><p>Boss Corker continued. "Now listen here, pink skins. By the way yer dressed, I reckon yer on some kind of adventure. If yer looking for information, go on over to The Muddy Barrel tavern over yonder. If'n ya need ridin' lizards, you just waddle that'away to the stables. </p><p> </p><p>Now, normally, lotta people come here to take a boat over to Rilauven. We're havin' a problem with the black dragon, and all our boats are currently incapacitated. So you might have to pop a squat here in Echo Warrens for a couple weeks."</p><p> </p><p>Scarlet groaned and said sarcastically, "That sounds great. Really lovely."</p><p> </p><p>He pointed to a large salagmite complex. "Ya got the Fungus Fellas over there. They kin sell you some fungus." He pointed to a smaller stalagmite and said, "You got some creepy drow over in that stalagmite. They say a lot of smart things."</p><p> </p><p>Boss Corker pointed to another small stalagmite home and said, "And there's a few odd people livin' there. They got gems, that's all that matters to me."</p><p> </p><p>The heroes checked out a nearby fighting pit. Boss Corker told the heroes there'd be fighting in there later in the day.</p><p> </p><p>Hartaniel looked at Boss Corker and said, "Maybe you and me should go hand-to-hand in there."</p><p> </p><p>The Cave Whippers started hootin' and hollerin'. Boss Corker said, awkwardly, "I hurt muh hamstring a'two month ago. H'ain't fully healed."</p><p> </p><p>The heroes joked around with the Cave Whippin' Boyz and then wandered around Echo Warrens. Vecna spoke up. "I feel a surge of power, Hartaniel! I am overwhelmed with divine power! I feel almost like I could create sentient life!"</p><p> </p><p>Hartaniel asked, "Has this happened before?"</p><p> </p><p>"Not since back when I was a god! Now I am but a mere cloud!"</p><p> </p><p>The Blue Monk said, better watch our torches, you might catch fire."</p><p> </p><p>Vecna said, "Blue Monk, you'll be the death of us all! You talk with your fists! You must learn to trade in secrets, my boy."</p><p> </p><p>Blue Monk nodded. "You make a point."</p><p> </p><p>Hartaniel wanted to find out why Vecna's power had suddenly surged. He suggested investigating the stalagmite that was home to the few mysterious people. As they approached it, they saw that a symbol was carved in the stone of the building. The symbol was of a hand and an eye. Vecna gasped and said "That's the symbol of Vecna! Me! I have followers here? Centuries after I lost my influence? How could this be?"</p><p> </p><p>Hartaniel decided to hide the Vecna lantern in his pack for the moment, until the heroes could find out more about these mysterious followers. Vecna agreed to this, and warned that "They likely know many secrets of magic!".</p><p> </p><p>Ardra perked up. "Secrets of magic?", she asked.</p><p> </p><p>They sensed that the front door had a magical enchantment on it, that could doom those who opened it. Scarlet knocked on the door. </p><p> </p><p>A man's voice called from inside. "Who's there?"</p><p> </p><p>Hartaniel said "The friends of Vecna."</p><p> </p><p>"What do you mean?"</p><p> </p><p>"Unless I am mistaken, you have the symbol of Vecna carved into your dwelling."</p><p> </p><p>The door opened. Beyond it was a man with skin of dark, shadowy purple. He had a ring of spiky growths crowning his bald head.</p><p> </p><p>In the room, the heroes could see four stone pillars each emblazoned with a glowing red symbol of Vecna. As the door opened, the runes surged with energy.</p><p> </p><p>The strange, shadowy humanoid looked at the runes and back at the heroes. "What is going on?".</p><p> </p><p>From inside Hartaniel's backpack, Vecna called out a muffled, "The Incunabulum! That's what they are. Let me out!"</p><p> </p><p>Ardra murmured to Vecna, "Is this bad or is this good?"</p><p> </p><p>The shadowy Incunabulum being asked, "What's that in your bag?"</p><p> </p><p>The heroes kind of side-stepped the question. The Incunabulum man was intrigued by them. He knew that he was much more powerful than the heroes, so he saw no issue with inviting them in. Two more Incunabulum sat on the floor near the pillars, each wearing a death shroud and meditating.</p><p> </p><p>He introduced himelf. "My name is Kell. How do you know of Vecna?".</p><p> </p><p>Ardra said, "We are students of the arcane, and such things intrigue us."</p><p> </p><p>Kell removed the death shrouds and introduced his two allies to the heroes. They were also Incunabulum, one male and one female.</p><p> </p><p>Ardra wracked her brain and remembered hearing about the Incunabulum. They were a dispassionate race of humanoids driven to pilfer knowledge wherever they could find it. Most of them had lived in The Shadowfell. </p><p> </p><p>Hartaniel asked the Incunabulum about Vecna. Kell explained that they were enraged at how the King of Terror had stolen Vecna's secrets centuries ago, and had used his newfound divine power to erase as much of Vecna's history as possible. They were dedicated to locating what scraps of knowledge of Vecna still existed, whilst they searched for Vecna's fabled hand and eye to restore Vecna to godhood.</p><p> </p><p>Hartaniel said, "I believe I have someone here who wants to meet you." </p><p> </p><p>He pulled out the Vecna lantern. Inside Vecna's swirling cloud, a skull face missing an eye could be seen.</p><p> </p><p>Vecna called out, "Behold! The remains of Vecna! I have awesome power!"</p><p> </p><p>The Incunabulum bowed down in awe.</p><p> </p><p>Vecna told them, "You will be rewarded for your loyalty!"</p><p> </p><p>The Incunabulum took them all down to a basement level, where a massive statue of Vecna stood tall. From the statue's eyehole and hand-stump leaked blood. A book sat open on a stand in front of the statue. </p><p> </p><p>Hartaniel asked Vecna if, thanks to the power of the Incunabulum's belief, Vecna had enough divine power to create a life. Vecna said he'd need to convert one more powerful being to his worship in order for that to happen.</p><p> </p><p>Ardra looked at the book and saw that it was a treatise on creating different types of undead. It was written in draconic, but thanks to her training under the Mages of Saruun, she understood the language.</p><p> </p><p>The Incunabulum pledged themselves to aid the heroes' cause. They shared the secrets they knew, which included:</p><p> </p><p>- How to graft adamantine limbs. Learned from some drow books they'd pilfered</p><p>- They owned a copy of the Scroll of Mauthereign, a treatise on the history of Vecna.</p><p> </p><p>Lucky pulled out the severed adamantine arm of Commander Pellanistra. "I couldn't find Vecna's eye or hand, but I did find this."</p><p> </p><p>Kell smiled grimly and said, "It would be my honor to attach that for you."</p><p> </p><p>Kell prepared an area for the procedure. Ardra and Varis aided in the flow of arcana, while the Blue Monk and Hartaniel handled the rather excessive loss of blood. After four grueling hours, the graft was a success. Lucky now had a working adamantine arm.</p><p> </p><p>In thanks, the Blue Monk gave Kell a plaguebringer mask to study. Kell was appreciative, and mentioned that a drow had come to Echo Warrens a day ago with a floating treasure chest. He'd taken a boat to Rilauven. The boat had never returned. Soon after, the black dragon came to echo Warrens and destroyed the three boats at the dock.</p><p> </p><p>Vecna urged the heroes to convert. He explained that if they worshiped him, he'd gain more power.</p><p> </p><p>Lucky flexed her new arm. It glowed a slight blue. She said, "I worship Mari, goddess of Luck. That seems to have worked out for me..."</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, on some desert world in another crystal sphere, Mari, Goddess of Luck, was lying imprisoned in a stone tomb, her magic blocked. She could hear her friends chained to a wall nearby. They were the other unfortunates who'd been in her casino when the King of Terror cut it in two. There was an Oni, a band of githyanki, three draconic children of Tiamat, and Darsidian - King Thennrynnia's dragon advisor.</p><p> </p><p>Darsidian called out to Mari. He warned her that someone was coming into the room.</p><p> </p><p>It was Urgathoa, also known as the Pallid Princess. She was a woman with gold skin and black hair. From the waist down, she had no flesh or muscle, just bloody bones. She was accompanied by two leukodaemons - vulture-like creatures that breathed flies and disease clouds. The daemons removed the lid to Mari's coffin/prison.</p><p> </p><p>Urgathoa leered down at Mari, and said, "You. I've been thinking about killing your friends, one by one. The githyanki. The children of Tiamat. Should I use typhus? Leprosy? Vorel's Phage? What do you think?"</p><p> </p><p>Mari raised an eyebrow and responded, "I think if you kill them you're not going to find anything out from me."</p><p> </p><p>"I have a question for you, and you'd better answer. Your deck of many things... what does the donjon card do? What did it do to the King of Terror?"</p><p> </p><p>Mari realized that when the King attacked her, he'd taken her deck. </p><p> </p><p>Apparently, even the mighty primordial could not resist drawing from it!</p><p> </p><p>Mari said, "He's been thrown into a prison somewhere, possibly inside of a world."</p><p> </p><p>Urgathoa shrieked "Noo!". The leukodaemons flinched in fear. "What world?"</p><p> </p><p>Mari smiled and said, "Just go through them one by one and eventually you'll find him."</p><p> </p><p>"This is your fault! You shall pay for this!". She ordered her daemons to seal Mari back in her prison. </p><p> </p><p>Back in Echo Warrens, the adventurers went to visit the stalagmite home of the drow. Above their door was the symbol of the elemental eye. The constant echo in the cavern was starting to get to the heroes.</p><p> </p><p>The heroes knocked on the door. A sweet voice from beyond asked "Who is it?". She slid open a little slot in the door and looked at them. "Pink skins? What're y'all doin' down here in Echo Warrens?"</p><p> </p><p>The Blue Monk said, "Looking for some fun."</p><p> </p><p>"Lookin' for some fun?". She opened the door. She was a beautiful drow wearing nothing but a tabard bearing the symbol of the elemental eye. "Well, I think you found it. I was just makin' my way to the Muddy Barrel."</p><p> </p><p>The Blue Monk said, "My lady, may I accompany you?"</p><p> </p><p>"Sure can!". She held out her arm. He took it. The heroes walked with her to The Muddy Barrel. Along the way, the goblins, hobgoblins and myconids of Echo Warrens all whistled and said "Dang!" as she went by.</p><p> </p><p>Scarlet said, "Let me guess. You're the most beautiful lady in this town."</p><p> </p><p>"You're such a charmer."</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah, whatever."</p><p> </p><p>"My name's Vaona. What all y'all pinkskins knockin on my door for?"</p><p> </p><p>The Blue Monk said, "I heard wondrous tales of your beauty."</p><p> </p><p>Aww. You better buy me drink."</p><p> </p><p>"Oh I will."</p><p> </p><p>The heroes arrived at The Muddy Barrel and stepped in. The tavern was split into two sections. One section was for small-sized creatures. The other was for medium sized creatures. The bartender was a dwarf. The cook was a limping goblin. One waiter was a floating spore ball. There was also a hobgoblin waitress.</p><p> </p><p>They saw a lone dwarf drinking in a corner. Ten zombie dwarves stood around him, staring blankly.</p><p> </p><p>A hobgoblin member of the Cave Whippin' Boyz, the muscle-bound Buford T. Ripper, leaned against the bar and drank in the sight of Vaona the drow. As she walked up to the bar with the heroes, he said to her, "Yew sure are lookin' good today. When yew gon' go ahead and feel my muscles?". He flexed.</p><p> </p><p>Vaona muttered to the Monk, "His muscles are so boring. It's all he talks about." The Blue Monk bought her some fungus wine.</p><p> </p><p>As Buford went on about his muscles, Hartaniel said quietly, "If she could find your muscles maybe she would..."</p><p> </p><p>Buford gave the eladrin the stink-eye. "What you mumblin' over there, pinky?"</p><p> </p><p>The Monk sighed. "Here we go."</p><p> </p><p>Hartaniel repeated himself to Buford.</p><p> </p><p>Buford got all riled up. "You know what? You know I'm one of the Cave Whippin' Boyz?" He yelled, "Hey Cave Whippin' Boyz, we got us some trouble!". </p><p> </p><p>A few of the goblins and hobgoblins lurking outside came in to the bar. Slippery Torg pulled out his garrotte.</p><p> </p><p>Hartaniel suggested that he and Buford settle their differences in the fighting pit. Everyone in the bar shouted their approval.</p><p> </p><p>The people of the town gathered around. The pit had spiked walls, and was imbued with magic. The magic would fire off random effects when certain conditions were met (<em>when a critical was rolled or when someone was bloodied</em>). </p><p> </p><p>Hartaniel faced off against Buford. Boss Corker yelled out that this battle was to unconsciousness, not death. Scarlet uncorked a bottle of wine that she'd stolen from Dagger Rock. Scarlet shared some with a goblin lady named Trista the Agreeable. She also shared some with Cross-Eyed Piffy. Ardra now had the Vecna lantern in her pack.</p><p> </p><p>Hartaniel circled Buford as the people let out cheers. He lunged and stabbed Buford in the arm. "How you feeling, pretty boy?", he asked.</p><p> </p><p>Buford spat and said, "You cut the skin, but you sure didn't penetrate mah rock hard muscles!". Buford jabbed jab with his spear, but missed. </p><p> </p><p>Hartaniel's Seeker pin glowed, aiding his next strike. He slashed Buford again. "Just let me know when you want to give up!".</p><p> </p><p>Buford winced and said, "Why, you're just a fancy elf. I h'ain't even tasted my own blood yet."</p><p> </p><p>Scarlet was a bit tipsy and called out, "He is a fancy elf! He's right!"</p><p> </p><p>Lucky drank from her flask and squinted. "Really?", she asked.</p><p> </p><p>Buford stabbed again, and plunged the spear into Hartaniel's thigh. The bloodthirsty townsfolk let out cries of approval.</p><p> </p><p>The Blue Monk bet ten gold on Hartaniel.</p><p> </p><p>Hartaniel let out a shout and slashed Buford's chest open. Blood trickled from the wound. The pit surged with magic, healing Buford's wound and making Hartaniel's worse! Hartaniel used his innate ability to teleport, and appeared underneath Scarlet. He called out for some wine. He opened his mouth and Scarlet poured it in.</p><p> </p><p>The crowd laughed, impressed. "He's drinkin' and beatin' up on old Buford!", they called out.</p><p> </p><p>Buford snarled and said, "Yew son of a bee-itch!". He pulled out his hand crossbow and fired. He missed.</p><p> </p><p>Hartaniel charged the hobgoblin, but his blow was blocked by Buford's spear. Buford swatted at Hartaniel's leg, knocking him to the ground. Blood trickled from Hartaniel's nose. The hobgoblin raised up his spear to bring down on the eladrin, but again the pit surged, and teleported Hartaniel back to the corner underneath Scarlet.</p><p> </p><p>He looked up at her, hurt, and said, "More wine, please."</p><p> </p><p>Scarlet said, "It doesn't seem to be helping. But.. here you go."</p><p> </p><p>Scarlet poured some wine down. Hartaniel opened his mouth and drank it as he rose to his feet. "Maybe a healing potion, while you're at it..." he grumbled.</p><p> </p><p>Then, Hartaniel charged and stabbed Buford, causing a new bloody gash to form. Raging, he swung again. Buford blocked the blow with the shaft of his spear, but staggered back. Hartaniel followed up with a third strike, stabbing Buford in the gut. The hobgoblin fell over, badly hurt and defeated.</p><p> </p><p>The people let out a cheer. The Cave Whippin' Boyz climbed in and tended to Buford's wounds. Hartaniel offered his hand and helped Buford to his feet. The Cave Whippin' Boyz decided that Hartaniel was Cave Whippin' material.</p><p> </p><p>Boss Corker asked Hartaniel if he wanted to join their gang. "You ready to shoot bats? Eat bats? Ride a lizard 'round?". Hartaniel agreed to it. The Cave Whippers yelled "Yee haw!", and everyone returned to The Muddy Barrel for some free fungus wine.</p><p> </p><p>The adventurers talked with the Cave Whippers. They again were told about the black dragon, and how she'd burned all three boats. They also said they'd heard that the dragon could shift into a humanoid form, like a kind of dragon-person. The goblins told the heroes the legend of how the deep dragon, Velkyn Phindar, had gotten into a fight with the black dragon and tore open the black dragon's throat. The black dragon survived but was no long able to utter a sound.</p><p> </p><p>Varis shivered, remembering his encounter with the Deep Dragon in his younger days.</p><p> </p><p>Boss Corker surmised that the ship that had left the harbor a day prior was taken down by the dragon, and was now a ghost ship - if anything.</p><p> </p><p>Hartaniel looked at the table where the quiet dwarf sat, with 10 zombies standing around him. Hartaniel asked what his story was. </p><p> </p><p>"That's Lombard Thickbeard. The zombies are his crew. He don't like no duergar. Every time he kills a duergar, they become a zombie member of his crew. the dragon burned his boat down."</p><p> </p><p>The Blue Monk said to his friends, "I'll go talk to him very nicely."</p><p> </p><p>The Monk bought him a drink. Lombard explained that he was depressed that his boat had been sank. He also spoke of Cat Island - an island in the Sea of Black Blood that held nothing but angry swarms of feral cats.. and treasure. </p><p> </p><p>The door opened and into the tavern entered another drow - Oonglax the Mad Believer. He began to preach of the Elemental Eye. He spoke of the Chained God, and how when he was freed he'd reward the devout with wisdom.</p><p> </p><p>The Blue Monk rejoined his friends and whispered that he felt they needed to leave town quickly, so that none of them caught the Echo Madness.</p><p> </p><p>Vaona admitted she found the Eye a bit boring. Oonglax yelled at her. She asked The Blue Monk to go to a fungus farm with her to "make out or something". He agreed.</p><p> </p><p>Scarlet quietly followed them and watched from behind a huge mushroom. </p><p> </p><p>Vaona sat on a shroom with The Blue Monk. She explained her drow friends had gotten kicked out of Rilauven due to their worship of the Eye. </p><p> </p><p>The rest of the party crept up to where Scarlet and watched as well.</p><p> </p><p>Vecna sighed quietly. "Bunch of peeping toms! Nothing to see here."</p><p> </p><p>The Monk asked her if there was any way to get a boat or some kind of conveyence. She said "Not unless you got some magic way to do it". Then they made out.</p><p> </p><p>The Monk returned and met with the heroes. They decided to go talk with the myconids. They talked slow and didn't have much useful information. They did sell Ardra some roper extract, which was said to make your muscles grow. </p><p> </p><p>They talked with Kell again. They realized that if they converted more people to worship Vecna, then Vecna would have enough power to create them some kind of vessel. The heroes decided that they could convert Vaona. As a fairly powerful drow, her belief would in fact bolster Vecna enough for him to have the power of creation.</p><p> </p><p>They found her sitting on the edge of the well, legs crossed.</p><p> </p><p>The heroes began to talk to her of Vecna. Vaona seemed bored. The Blue Monk flirted with her and kissed her, and she decided she'd do a little listening.</p><p> </p><p>Ardra used prestidigitation to show Vecna's story. Hartaniel threw in a backflip for effect. Vaona was pleased. Some of the goblins came over, entertained as well. "So what kind of things kin Vecna do?", Vaona asked.</p><p> </p><p>Varis piped up. "I was once an old man, but thanks to Vecna I'm a little boy again!". A total lie! Vaona bought it completely. The heroes tried not to laugh.</p><p> </p><p>Lucky took a swig from her flask and said, "I lost my arm. My life was horrible. Then, Vecna's followers gave me this cool adamantine arm! My life is still horrible, but it's slightly less horrible." Vaona was impressed with her magic arm.</p><p> </p><p>Scarlet took the opportunity to walk around and pick some pockets of the goblins watching. She snatched two onyx gems.</p><p> </p><p>The Blue Monk crept up and kissed Vaona, and whispered sweet Vecna nothings in her ear.</p><p> </p><p>Vaona smiled and said, "Ya know, I think Vecna is what I've been waitin' for all my life!"</p><p> </p><p>Vecna quietly groaned as the adventurers walked her to the Incunabulum's home. He muttered, "Maybe we can kill her once she's converted. Make her undead!".</p><p> </p><p>Scarlet whispered "No!".</p><p> </p><p>The Incunabulum agreed to teach her prayers of Vecna. Varis helped explain things to her using more common words.</p><p> </p><p>Vecna decided to speed things up by having her breathe in his vapors. Her head would be filled with fragments of his knowledge. He explained that it might kill her.</p><p> </p><p>She breathed in the discorporated cloud and seized up. Varis helped her survive. She breathed him out, sat up, and said "I just learned so much, y'all! We gotta find the hand and the eye!".</p><p> </p><p>Vacna surged with energy! He swelled with divine power. He proclaimed that he had enough power to create and object or creature. The heroes debated what to make. They thought of a viking longship, a flying boat, a flying whale, or a giant turtle. Someone suggested a giant pony...</p><p> </p><p>The heroes finally came to an agreement. Vecna created a massive bird with black feathers and one red eye. When it opened its' mouth, it let out whispers.</p><p> </p><p>Scarlet named it: Dark Secret.</p><p> </p><p>And there it was, flying over the Sea of Black Blood. It swooped down and landed in front of the adventurers.</p><p> </p><p>The heroes nodded in approval. Lucky called out, "To Cat Island! And certain doom!".</p><p> </p><p>They climbed on, ready to fly to the drow city. After a quick stop at a certain feline isle, that is....</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Netherstorm, post: 5751481, member: 84943"] [b]7. Vecna's Secret[/b] [I]12/12/11: Tom was in the city. We ended early tonight as I needed to prepare for the Expedition to Cat Island. This summary is as close to a verbatim session summary as I ever hope to get![/I] [I]And just to be clear, Vecna was defeated in a previous campaign. He was discorporated. Usually when a god is discorporated, they reform after a few months. But the primordial known as The King of Terror was able to seize Vecna's "spot" as a deity. The primordial then killed as many of his followers as he could, and used his power to make people forget Vecna ever existed.[/I] [I]In a blog on this site, I described my "power points" system. The gods have power points, which allow them to do godly things beyond what level 30 characters do. As an example, it costs 5,000 power points to create a heroic tier being and 100,000 power points to create an epic tier being.[/I] [I]The discorporated cloud of Vecna, who resides in Hartaniel's lantern, has 1,000 measly power points. Should he find followers, he will gain more...[/I] [CENTER][FONT=Arial Black][SIZE=3]Saga of Valor [/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial Black][SIZE=3]Book One - NyrodSpace War 3[/SIZE][/FONT][/CENTER] [CENTER][I]Chapter Seven: Vecna's Secret[/I][/CENTER] [B]Ardra[/B] - Eladrin Bladesinger [I]Vovoidja[/I] [B]The Blue Monk[/B] - Half-Orc Monk [I]Almoner[/I] [B]Hartaniel[/B] - Elf Barbarian[I] Groom of the Stool[/I] [B]Lucky[/B] - Human Warlord [I]Constable[/I] [B]Scarlet[/B] - Human Fighter[I] Constable[/I] [B]Varis[/B] - Half-Elf Warlock [I]Hostarius[/I] The adventurers had somewhat influenced the King to kill two influential people with his cursed sword, Blackrazor. The following day, the King was in a great mood and was getting ready to cast a ritual that would send the heroes back on the trail of canisters containing a disease called Blood Veil. The canisters were to be delivered to the underdark city of Rilauven, where Varis was from. In a ritual book in the Cult of Urgathoa's lair, the adventurers had found a rune configuration for a teleport circle in a place very close to Rilauven, called Echo Warrens. The King planned on casting a ritual to send the heroes there right after breakfast. The King awoke, and Hartaniel entered his chamber to help the King don his ancient, magical spiked armor. King Thennrynnia was in a fine mood, as Blackrazor had been fed and would not tear at the King's soul for at least a few days. Hartaniel said, "Sire, I am glad that Blackrazor was fed last night. It was a great party you threw." The King chuckled and said, "Thank you, Hartaniel. I feel very good today! I'm sure Lady Tarentia will be angry with me for slaying her unicorn-man friend - but I'm sure she'll recover." "I agree, sire. And you know what? She's not the King!" "'Tis true. She is not the King." Zanestra Shadowborn, leader of the Shadowborn Clan, led Varis away from the castle to meet with her at the Shadowborn's 'home base', a gothic clock tower in the city of Olwynn. Inside was Skelogha, the tiefling who'd heloped young Varis harness his eldritch power. Zanestra's not-evil-enough imp PaunchCrammer was there as well. So too, were a pair of familiar faces. They were Belgos and Silussa, the vampire and succubus who had abandoned the drow invasion and then failed to seduce the King. They were sitting at a table feeding each other cooked eggs. They kept saying things to each other like, "Here darling, have another one!". Skelogha pulled Varis aside and said, "I heard what you did last night, kid! That's some good stuff!". He was of course referring to Varis convincing the King to kill the injured soldier Phideas Silverfist for insulting Varis' ally, the Blue Monk. Zanestra nodded and whispered, "There are certain advantages to your youth and apparent innocence! The King is more apt to trust you. Now then...", she gestured toward Belgos and Silussa. "I think that they know more about the drow invasion than they are telling anybody. I tried my best last night to... interrogate Belgos... but I didn't get much information..". She blushed. "Silussa might be more pliable. Do you know of any way we could get information out of her?" Varis thought for a moment. Then he said, "They seem to love each other very much. We could use that to our advantage." Skelogha came over and stood next to Zanestra. He nodded and said quietly, "How so?" "As I saw last night, when one of them is threatened, the other jumps in front to take the blow..." "Whaddaya sayin'? We imprison one of 'em?". Varis said, darkly, "Torture. Imprison. Threaten. Kill." Skelogha cackled and said, "I like the cut of your jib, kid!" PaunchCrammer sucked on an orange peel and whispered, "Maybe we should just go on a walk with one of them and just chat for a while?". Zanestra scowled and shook her head, angry. "Want some orange juice? I freshly squeezed it myself!". Zanestra threw up her hands, furious at her not-even-close-to-evil-enough imp. Varis rejoined his friends in the castle just in time for breakfast. The adventurers and King Thennrynnia sat around a grand table, eating a massive breakfast. The Blue Monk asked, "How did you sleep, your highness?" "I slept well, friend! I still am unsure of what to do with our drow prisoner, Derrinnil." Ardra asked, "Has she over come her poppy juice addiction?" "She is still in the throes." "Perhaps you should allow her to make it through the woods," the Blue Monk suggested. The King nodded. He mentioned that Lady Tarentia had been kicked out of the fey city of Senaliesse. Her luggage was being brought through a portal in the dungeon level of the castle. The heroes suggested that they should leave her alone. After breakfast, the heroes headed into town to buy healing potions, a halfling-sized cloak, and extra crossbow bolts. They re-grouped in the ritual room of the castle. The King chanted, and in a flash, the adventurers appeared in a massive underdark cavern. Nearby were stalagmites so big that humanoids had carved them out and made homes out of them. The Sea of Black Blood was not far, and quite closer to them was a central well. The cavern was full of a maddening, constant echoing noise. In addition, Hartaniel's floating lantern that contained the gaseous remains of the long-discorporated deity known as Vecna suddenly surged. Vecna's cloud became more solid, and much more vibrant. But the most immediate detail that the heroes were concerned with was the band of surly goblins and hobgoblins that had stopped in their tracks and trained their crossbows on the newly-arrived adventurers. One of the goblins said to another in a drawl, "Hey, Slippery Torg! We got ourselves some pink skins!" "Dang, Cud! Whaddaya think we should do? Should we shoot 'em?" "Let's see if they got any gems on 'em first!" The one called Cud waved his crossbow at the bewildered adventurers and said, "Don't make any funny moves. You're in the presence of the Cave Whippin' Boyz!". The goblins and Hobgoblins yelled out "Yeeee Haa!" and fired crossbow bolts in the air. Cud then looked at the heroes and asked, "So how about it? Got any banded agates? Onyx?" Slippery Torg shook his head and said, "'Hain't no way they got any onyx, Cud!" Ardra was slightly bemused. "We're freshly out, I'm afraid." The Blue Monk scowled at Cud and said, "Guard your tongue, wee one." A hefty goblin called Boss Corker stepped forward and said, "Now, Now! We Cave Whippin' Boyz, we just want us some gems! You come to Echo Warrens, you gotta pay the toll! This teleport circle hain't free, ya know!" Hartaniel suddenly sprung forth and grabbed Slippery Torg. He put a blade to his throat. The goblins shouted in alarm. Cud told all his boyz to aim their crossbow bolts at The Blue Monk. "Two kin' play at that game! All we want is a banded agate - equivalent value, ten gold." Then he squinted and got a good look at the floating lantern. Inside it, the cloud of Vecna's remains shone through. "Actually.. we'll take that lantern!" Lucky tossed him a pouch with ten gold in it. "We're probably going to die soon anyway," she noted. Hartaniel tried to take Torg's money pouch as he shoved Torg away, but the Boyz' mother, Ma Gouty, spotted him. Hartaniel quietly chucked them the pouch. The Blue Monk said, "I'll give you boys another five gold if you can tell me about this place." Boss Corker stepped up. "I'll take that five gold, if'n you please! Ya'll might want to invest in some gems. Gold coins are kinda... eggghh... but we'll take it. Now, the noise here in Echo Warrens, some folk'll tell ya that it makes ya go crazy. But we're just fine, ain't we, Cave Whippin' Boyz?" The boyz again shouted "Yee ha!" and shot crossbow bolts in the air. Boss Corker continued. "Now listen here, pink skins. By the way yer dressed, I reckon yer on some kind of adventure. If yer looking for information, go on over to The Muddy Barrel tavern over yonder. If'n ya need ridin' lizards, you just waddle that'away to the stables. Now, normally, lotta people come here to take a boat over to Rilauven. We're havin' a problem with the black dragon, and all our boats are currently incapacitated. So you might have to pop a squat here in Echo Warrens for a couple weeks." Scarlet groaned and said sarcastically, "That sounds great. Really lovely." He pointed to a large salagmite complex. "Ya got the Fungus Fellas over there. They kin sell you some fungus." He pointed to a smaller stalagmite and said, "You got some creepy drow over in that stalagmite. They say a lot of smart things." Boss Corker pointed to another small stalagmite home and said, "And there's a few odd people livin' there. They got gems, that's all that matters to me." The heroes checked out a nearby fighting pit. Boss Corker told the heroes there'd be fighting in there later in the day. Hartaniel looked at Boss Corker and said, "Maybe you and me should go hand-to-hand in there." The Cave Whippers started hootin' and hollerin'. Boss Corker said, awkwardly, "I hurt muh hamstring a'two month ago. H'ain't fully healed." The heroes joked around with the Cave Whippin' Boyz and then wandered around Echo Warrens. Vecna spoke up. "I feel a surge of power, Hartaniel! I am overwhelmed with divine power! I feel almost like I could create sentient life!" Hartaniel asked, "Has this happened before?" "Not since back when I was a god! Now I am but a mere cloud!" The Blue Monk said, better watch our torches, you might catch fire." Vecna said, "Blue Monk, you'll be the death of us all! You talk with your fists! You must learn to trade in secrets, my boy." Blue Monk nodded. "You make a point." Hartaniel wanted to find out why Vecna's power had suddenly surged. He suggested investigating the stalagmite that was home to the few mysterious people. As they approached it, they saw that a symbol was carved in the stone of the building. The symbol was of a hand and an eye. Vecna gasped and said "That's the symbol of Vecna! Me! I have followers here? Centuries after I lost my influence? How could this be?" Hartaniel decided to hide the Vecna lantern in his pack for the moment, until the heroes could find out more about these mysterious followers. Vecna agreed to this, and warned that "They likely know many secrets of magic!". Ardra perked up. "Secrets of magic?", she asked. They sensed that the front door had a magical enchantment on it, that could doom those who opened it. Scarlet knocked on the door. A man's voice called from inside. "Who's there?" Hartaniel said "The friends of Vecna." "What do you mean?" "Unless I am mistaken, you have the symbol of Vecna carved into your dwelling." The door opened. Beyond it was a man with skin of dark, shadowy purple. He had a ring of spiky growths crowning his bald head. In the room, the heroes could see four stone pillars each emblazoned with a glowing red symbol of Vecna. As the door opened, the runes surged with energy. The strange, shadowy humanoid looked at the runes and back at the heroes. "What is going on?". From inside Hartaniel's backpack, Vecna called out a muffled, "The Incunabulum! That's what they are. Let me out!" Ardra murmured to Vecna, "Is this bad or is this good?" The shadowy Incunabulum being asked, "What's that in your bag?" The heroes kind of side-stepped the question. The Incunabulum man was intrigued by them. He knew that he was much more powerful than the heroes, so he saw no issue with inviting them in. Two more Incunabulum sat on the floor near the pillars, each wearing a death shroud and meditating. He introduced himelf. "My name is Kell. How do you know of Vecna?". Ardra said, "We are students of the arcane, and such things intrigue us." Kell removed the death shrouds and introduced his two allies to the heroes. They were also Incunabulum, one male and one female. Ardra wracked her brain and remembered hearing about the Incunabulum. They were a dispassionate race of humanoids driven to pilfer knowledge wherever they could find it. Most of them had lived in The Shadowfell. Hartaniel asked the Incunabulum about Vecna. Kell explained that they were enraged at how the King of Terror had stolen Vecna's secrets centuries ago, and had used his newfound divine power to erase as much of Vecna's history as possible. They were dedicated to locating what scraps of knowledge of Vecna still existed, whilst they searched for Vecna's fabled hand and eye to restore Vecna to godhood. Hartaniel said, "I believe I have someone here who wants to meet you." He pulled out the Vecna lantern. Inside Vecna's swirling cloud, a skull face missing an eye could be seen. Vecna called out, "Behold! The remains of Vecna! I have awesome power!" The Incunabulum bowed down in awe. Vecna told them, "You will be rewarded for your loyalty!" The Incunabulum took them all down to a basement level, where a massive statue of Vecna stood tall. From the statue's eyehole and hand-stump leaked blood. A book sat open on a stand in front of the statue. Hartaniel asked Vecna if, thanks to the power of the Incunabulum's belief, Vecna had enough divine power to create a life. Vecna said he'd need to convert one more powerful being to his worship in order for that to happen. Ardra looked at the book and saw that it was a treatise on creating different types of undead. It was written in draconic, but thanks to her training under the Mages of Saruun, she understood the language. The Incunabulum pledged themselves to aid the heroes' cause. They shared the secrets they knew, which included: - How to graft adamantine limbs. Learned from some drow books they'd pilfered - They owned a copy of the Scroll of Mauthereign, a treatise on the history of Vecna. Lucky pulled out the severed adamantine arm of Commander Pellanistra. "I couldn't find Vecna's eye or hand, but I did find this." Kell smiled grimly and said, "It would be my honor to attach that for you." Kell prepared an area for the procedure. Ardra and Varis aided in the flow of arcana, while the Blue Monk and Hartaniel handled the rather excessive loss of blood. After four grueling hours, the graft was a success. Lucky now had a working adamantine arm. In thanks, the Blue Monk gave Kell a plaguebringer mask to study. Kell was appreciative, and mentioned that a drow had come to Echo Warrens a day ago with a floating treasure chest. He'd taken a boat to Rilauven. The boat had never returned. Soon after, the black dragon came to echo Warrens and destroyed the three boats at the dock. Vecna urged the heroes to convert. He explained that if they worshiped him, he'd gain more power. Lucky flexed her new arm. It glowed a slight blue. She said, "I worship Mari, goddess of Luck. That seems to have worked out for me..." Meanwhile, on some desert world in another crystal sphere, Mari, Goddess of Luck, was lying imprisoned in a stone tomb, her magic blocked. She could hear her friends chained to a wall nearby. They were the other unfortunates who'd been in her casino when the King of Terror cut it in two. There was an Oni, a band of githyanki, three draconic children of Tiamat, and Darsidian - King Thennrynnia's dragon advisor. Darsidian called out to Mari. He warned her that someone was coming into the room. It was Urgathoa, also known as the Pallid Princess. She was a woman with gold skin and black hair. From the waist down, she had no flesh or muscle, just bloody bones. She was accompanied by two leukodaemons - vulture-like creatures that breathed flies and disease clouds. The daemons removed the lid to Mari's coffin/prison. Urgathoa leered down at Mari, and said, "You. I've been thinking about killing your friends, one by one. The githyanki. The children of Tiamat. Should I use typhus? Leprosy? Vorel's Phage? What do you think?" Mari raised an eyebrow and responded, "I think if you kill them you're not going to find anything out from me." "I have a question for you, and you'd better answer. Your deck of many things... what does the donjon card do? What did it do to the King of Terror?" Mari realized that when the King attacked her, he'd taken her deck. Apparently, even the mighty primordial could not resist drawing from it! Mari said, "He's been thrown into a prison somewhere, possibly inside of a world." Urgathoa shrieked "Noo!". The leukodaemons flinched in fear. "What world?" Mari smiled and said, "Just go through them one by one and eventually you'll find him." "This is your fault! You shall pay for this!". She ordered her daemons to seal Mari back in her prison. Back in Echo Warrens, the adventurers went to visit the stalagmite home of the drow. Above their door was the symbol of the elemental eye. The constant echo in the cavern was starting to get to the heroes. The heroes knocked on the door. A sweet voice from beyond asked "Who is it?". She slid open a little slot in the door and looked at them. "Pink skins? What're y'all doin' down here in Echo Warrens?" The Blue Monk said, "Looking for some fun." "Lookin' for some fun?". She opened the door. She was a beautiful drow wearing nothing but a tabard bearing the symbol of the elemental eye. "Well, I think you found it. I was just makin' my way to the Muddy Barrel." The Blue Monk said, "My lady, may I accompany you?" "Sure can!". She held out her arm. He took it. The heroes walked with her to The Muddy Barrel. Along the way, the goblins, hobgoblins and myconids of Echo Warrens all whistled and said "Dang!" as she went by. Scarlet said, "Let me guess. You're the most beautiful lady in this town." "You're such a charmer." "Yeah, whatever." "My name's Vaona. What all y'all pinkskins knockin on my door for?" The Blue Monk said, "I heard wondrous tales of your beauty." Aww. You better buy me drink." "Oh I will." The heroes arrived at The Muddy Barrel and stepped in. The tavern was split into two sections. One section was for small-sized creatures. The other was for medium sized creatures. The bartender was a dwarf. The cook was a limping goblin. One waiter was a floating spore ball. There was also a hobgoblin waitress. They saw a lone dwarf drinking in a corner. Ten zombie dwarves stood around him, staring blankly. A hobgoblin member of the Cave Whippin' Boyz, the muscle-bound Buford T. Ripper, leaned against the bar and drank in the sight of Vaona the drow. As she walked up to the bar with the heroes, he said to her, "Yew sure are lookin' good today. When yew gon' go ahead and feel my muscles?". He flexed. Vaona muttered to the Monk, "His muscles are so boring. It's all he talks about." The Blue Monk bought her some fungus wine. As Buford went on about his muscles, Hartaniel said quietly, "If she could find your muscles maybe she would..." Buford gave the eladrin the stink-eye. "What you mumblin' over there, pinky?" The Monk sighed. "Here we go." Hartaniel repeated himself to Buford. Buford got all riled up. "You know what? You know I'm one of the Cave Whippin' Boyz?" He yelled, "Hey Cave Whippin' Boyz, we got us some trouble!". A few of the goblins and hobgoblins lurking outside came in to the bar. Slippery Torg pulled out his garrotte. Hartaniel suggested that he and Buford settle their differences in the fighting pit. Everyone in the bar shouted their approval. The people of the town gathered around. The pit had spiked walls, and was imbued with magic. The magic would fire off random effects when certain conditions were met ([I]when a critical was rolled or when someone was bloodied[/I]). Hartaniel faced off against Buford. Boss Corker yelled out that this battle was to unconsciousness, not death. Scarlet uncorked a bottle of wine that she'd stolen from Dagger Rock. Scarlet shared some with a goblin lady named Trista the Agreeable. She also shared some with Cross-Eyed Piffy. Ardra now had the Vecna lantern in her pack. Hartaniel circled Buford as the people let out cheers. He lunged and stabbed Buford in the arm. "How you feeling, pretty boy?", he asked. Buford spat and said, "You cut the skin, but you sure didn't penetrate mah rock hard muscles!". Buford jabbed jab with his spear, but missed. Hartaniel's Seeker pin glowed, aiding his next strike. He slashed Buford again. "Just let me know when you want to give up!". Buford winced and said, "Why, you're just a fancy elf. I h'ain't even tasted my own blood yet." Scarlet was a bit tipsy and called out, "He is a fancy elf! He's right!" Lucky drank from her flask and squinted. "Really?", she asked. Buford stabbed again, and plunged the spear into Hartaniel's thigh. The bloodthirsty townsfolk let out cries of approval. The Blue Monk bet ten gold on Hartaniel. Hartaniel let out a shout and slashed Buford's chest open. Blood trickled from the wound. The pit surged with magic, healing Buford's wound and making Hartaniel's worse! Hartaniel used his innate ability to teleport, and appeared underneath Scarlet. He called out for some wine. He opened his mouth and Scarlet poured it in. The crowd laughed, impressed. "He's drinkin' and beatin' up on old Buford!", they called out. Buford snarled and said, "Yew son of a bee-itch!". He pulled out his hand crossbow and fired. He missed. Hartaniel charged the hobgoblin, but his blow was blocked by Buford's spear. Buford swatted at Hartaniel's leg, knocking him to the ground. Blood trickled from Hartaniel's nose. The hobgoblin raised up his spear to bring down on the eladrin, but again the pit surged, and teleported Hartaniel back to the corner underneath Scarlet. He looked up at her, hurt, and said, "More wine, please." Scarlet said, "It doesn't seem to be helping. But.. here you go." Scarlet poured some wine down. Hartaniel opened his mouth and drank it as he rose to his feet. "Maybe a healing potion, while you're at it..." he grumbled. Then, Hartaniel charged and stabbed Buford, causing a new bloody gash to form. Raging, he swung again. Buford blocked the blow with the shaft of his spear, but staggered back. Hartaniel followed up with a third strike, stabbing Buford in the gut. The hobgoblin fell over, badly hurt and defeated. The people let out a cheer. The Cave Whippin' Boyz climbed in and tended to Buford's wounds. Hartaniel offered his hand and helped Buford to his feet. The Cave Whippin' Boyz decided that Hartaniel was Cave Whippin' material. Boss Corker asked Hartaniel if he wanted to join their gang. "You ready to shoot bats? Eat bats? Ride a lizard 'round?". Hartaniel agreed to it. The Cave Whippers yelled "Yee haw!", and everyone returned to The Muddy Barrel for some free fungus wine. The adventurers talked with the Cave Whippers. They again were told about the black dragon, and how she'd burned all three boats. They also said they'd heard that the dragon could shift into a humanoid form, like a kind of dragon-person. The goblins told the heroes the legend of how the deep dragon, Velkyn Phindar, had gotten into a fight with the black dragon and tore open the black dragon's throat. The black dragon survived but was no long able to utter a sound. Varis shivered, remembering his encounter with the Deep Dragon in his younger days. Boss Corker surmised that the ship that had left the harbor a day prior was taken down by the dragon, and was now a ghost ship - if anything. Hartaniel looked at the table where the quiet dwarf sat, with 10 zombies standing around him. Hartaniel asked what his story was. "That's Lombard Thickbeard. The zombies are his crew. He don't like no duergar. Every time he kills a duergar, they become a zombie member of his crew. the dragon burned his boat down." The Blue Monk said to his friends, "I'll go talk to him very nicely." The Monk bought him a drink. Lombard explained that he was depressed that his boat had been sank. He also spoke of Cat Island - an island in the Sea of Black Blood that held nothing but angry swarms of feral cats.. and treasure. The door opened and into the tavern entered another drow - Oonglax the Mad Believer. He began to preach of the Elemental Eye. He spoke of the Chained God, and how when he was freed he'd reward the devout with wisdom. The Blue Monk rejoined his friends and whispered that he felt they needed to leave town quickly, so that none of them caught the Echo Madness. Vaona admitted she found the Eye a bit boring. Oonglax yelled at her. She asked The Blue Monk to go to a fungus farm with her to "make out or something". He agreed. Scarlet quietly followed them and watched from behind a huge mushroom. Vaona sat on a shroom with The Blue Monk. She explained her drow friends had gotten kicked out of Rilauven due to their worship of the Eye. The rest of the party crept up to where Scarlet and watched as well. Vecna sighed quietly. "Bunch of peeping toms! Nothing to see here." The Monk asked her if there was any way to get a boat or some kind of conveyence. She said "Not unless you got some magic way to do it". Then they made out. The Monk returned and met with the heroes. They decided to go talk with the myconids. They talked slow and didn't have much useful information. They did sell Ardra some roper extract, which was said to make your muscles grow. They talked with Kell again. They realized that if they converted more people to worship Vecna, then Vecna would have enough power to create them some kind of vessel. The heroes decided that they could convert Vaona. As a fairly powerful drow, her belief would in fact bolster Vecna enough for him to have the power of creation. They found her sitting on the edge of the well, legs crossed. The heroes began to talk to her of Vecna. Vaona seemed bored. The Blue Monk flirted with her and kissed her, and she decided she'd do a little listening. Ardra used prestidigitation to show Vecna's story. Hartaniel threw in a backflip for effect. Vaona was pleased. Some of the goblins came over, entertained as well. "So what kind of things kin Vecna do?", Vaona asked. Varis piped up. "I was once an old man, but thanks to Vecna I'm a little boy again!". A total lie! Vaona bought it completely. The heroes tried not to laugh. Lucky took a swig from her flask and said, "I lost my arm. My life was horrible. Then, Vecna's followers gave me this cool adamantine arm! My life is still horrible, but it's slightly less horrible." Vaona was impressed with her magic arm. Scarlet took the opportunity to walk around and pick some pockets of the goblins watching. She snatched two onyx gems. The Blue Monk crept up and kissed Vaona, and whispered sweet Vecna nothings in her ear. Vaona smiled and said, "Ya know, I think Vecna is what I've been waitin' for all my life!" Vecna quietly groaned as the adventurers walked her to the Incunabulum's home. He muttered, "Maybe we can kill her once she's converted. Make her undead!". Scarlet whispered "No!". The Incunabulum agreed to teach her prayers of Vecna. Varis helped explain things to her using more common words. Vecna decided to speed things up by having her breathe in his vapors. Her head would be filled with fragments of his knowledge. He explained that it might kill her. She breathed in the discorporated cloud and seized up. Varis helped her survive. She breathed him out, sat up, and said "I just learned so much, y'all! We gotta find the hand and the eye!". Vacna surged with energy! He swelled with divine power. He proclaimed that he had enough power to create and object or creature. The heroes debated what to make. They thought of a viking longship, a flying boat, a flying whale, or a giant turtle. Someone suggested a giant pony... The heroes finally came to an agreement. Vecna created a massive bird with black feathers and one red eye. When it opened its' mouth, it let out whispers. Scarlet named it: Dark Secret. And there it was, flying over the Sea of Black Blood. It swooped down and landed in front of the adventurers. The heroes nodded in approval. Lucky called out, "To Cat Island! And certain doom!". They climbed on, ready to fly to the drow city. After a quick stop at a certain feline isle, that is.... [/QUOTE]
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